Niger set for development boost as its first oil shipment arrives in Benin

Niger’s first oil shipment has arrived at the Benin’s oil terminal at Sémè Kraké via the Niger-Benin pipeline, regional media report, marking Niger's emergence as a significant player in Africa's oil sector. Construction of the pipeline linking Niger's Agadem oil fields to the Sémè Kraké terminal, took two years and cost $5 billion. With a capacity of 110,000 barrels per day (b/d), the pipeline will also bring substantial economic benefits to Benin, including more than 2,000 new jobs in addition to transit duties and tax revenue from the oil transiting across its territory.

The pipeline is expected to increase Niger's crude oil production fivefold, positioning the country as a major oil exporter. Sanctions placed on Niger by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) delayed the project, but their relaxation in February allowed China National Petroleum Corporation to complete construction. 

The pipeline’s completion marks a significant step forward in Niger's economic development, providing a crucial export outlet for its oil resources.